Lubricant dispensing device



Feb. 18, 1941. R. J. GRAY LUBRICANT DISPENSING DEVICE Filed March 27, lss

2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Feb. 18, 1941.

R. J. GRAY LUBRICANT DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Marche?, 195sv 2. sheets-sheet 2 .QN MUN v\ v @Y ,s @wl-.P5 UWVW-Wml W .N @Nm` INVENTOR 7 @W ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 18,'1941 UNITED STATES'- PATENT OFFICE 2,232,522f- LUBRICANT DISPENSIN'G DEVICE Russell `J-'. Gray, Meadville, Minn. Applications/farcir 27, 1939, serial-No. y264,333

2 Claims.

, dispensing device whose component parts may be lo quickly andl easily operatively assembled in fluidltight relation, and which is adapted to dispense lubricant of generally low viscosity to overhead lubricant-receiving receptacles without waste.

n Other objects will appear more fully from the `following detailed description, accompanying drawings, and appendedL claims.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there isf shown in the accompanying drawings forms thereof which are at present preferred, since the same have been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities `of which the invention consists can be variously arranged andorganized and lthat the `invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as View of the reciprocable plunger portion of the' device illustrated in Figure 1 as the same appears when disassociated from the rest of the device.

Figure 4 represents a longitudinal sectional view taken through a modified thrust-transmitting member,` which may be associated with the forwardl end of the compression spring shown in Figures l and 3 in lieu of the resilient member there shown.

Figure 5 represents a fragmentary sectional view taken through an end wall of the lubricant reservoir portion of the dispensing device, andl shows how the same may be sealed prior to use as an integral part of the assembled lubricant dispensing device.

Figure 6 represents a perspectiveview showing the manner in which thecornponent parts' of the lubricant dispensing device may be readily operatively assembled for use.

Figure 'l represents a perspective View illustrating the preferred manner in which the lubricant 5" dispensingdevice 'may be operated to supply lubricant to' an overhead receptacle.

The lubricant-dispensing' device illustrated in the"accmpanying`drawings preferably includes a l i tubular barrel portion I0 having three communieating passageways I I, vI`2 and I3 therethrough; passageway IIv constituting a piston retraction chamber, the somewhat smaller-diametered communicating' passageway I2 constituting a cylindrical chamberl within which a piston or plunger is adapted to reciprocate, and communicating passageway I3 constituting a chamber for housing izcleckL-valve at the discharge end of the cylinder A plurality of inlet ports I4, I4, preferably communicate with the intake end of the cylindrical chamber I2, and are preferably so situated along thebarrel Illas to lie withinfthe body of the lubricant reservoir in proximity toan end Wall thereof,

and specifically the endwall which is lowermost whenthe device is operatively held as illustrated in Figure 7.

The circular edge of an annular shoulder I5 provided at the juncture of the differently-sized o? passageways I2 and I3 acts as a valve seat for a` spring-pressed ball-check-valve I6 disposed within the slightly enlarged end passageway I3.

A curved push-on nozzle I1, is preferably secured yto the forward or discharge end ofthe bar- 315';-

rel 'I0. rIihe termi push-on. nozzle is intended to comprehend all lubricant-delivery nozzles which are` adapted to establish Aa seal against a lubricant-receiving fitting or nipple when thrust and held more or less axially thereagainst, and 40 includesA not only the non-interlocking type of nozzle illustratedl in Figure l, butalso the chucktype interlocking nozzles or couplers as for instance ,thoser shown in Patents Nos. 2,016,809; 2,056,249; and 2,061,062. p

The inwardly projecting end portion I8 of the nozzle' I'I may act as an abutment for the valve spring ofthe check-valve I6. The discharge end of the? illustrated nozzle I"I is provided with a frusta-conical guide surface IS which serves to 50v guide the adjacent concavely spherical sealing surface 2l) into' sealing contact with the end of the particular lub'ricant-receivingy iittin'g ornipple select-,eerY for servicing.

Anext'ernal annular' flange or shoulder 2I` may 5'5":

be provided on the outside of the barrel I0 near its forward or discharge end, to serve as a stop limiting the extent to which the barrel may be -thrust longitudinally through the lubricant reservoir. In the preferred embodiment, the shoulder 2| is faced with a sealing member 22, formed of any suitable oil-resistant material, such as ThiokoL Duprenej Neoprene or other synthetic rubber-like compounds.

The opposite or retracting-chamber end 23 of the barrel I0 may be externally threaded for engagement with a knurled nu-t 26 for a purpose which will presently appear.

The illustrated embodiment of the present invention further includes a piston 24 proportioned to slide snugly within the cylindrical passageway |2, said piston being provided with a, rearwardly extending reciprocable piston-rod 25. The leading end of piston 24 is preferably rounded or tapered, as is the entrance into the cylindrical passageway i2, in order that the piston will be guided into said passageway I2 on its forward stroke.

Resilient means are preferably slidably mounted on the reciprocable piston-rod 25 for operatively urging the lubricant reservoir up against the barrel stop shoulder 2|. Such means may include the spaced spring-abutment members 26 and 32 which, when the dispensing device is operatively assembled, are constantly urged apart by the coiled compression spring 30. 'Ihe springabutment member 26 is preferably internally threaded for screw-threaded engagement with the projecting barrel end 23, and is provided with a knurled or milled periphery as at 21 to facilitate the manipulation thereof. A packing ring 28 which may be formed of any suitable oilresistant material, is preferably disposed inside said spring-abutment member 26, and is adapted, when axially compressed between the barrel end 23 and said member 26, to seal against the reciprocable piston rod 25, thereby sealing the end of the piston-retraction chamber If desired, a protective metal washer 29 may be placed against the face of the packing 28.

If desired, the end of the knurled nut 26 may be flared outwardly as at 3 I, to prevent separation of said nut from its associated compression spring 36.

The opposite spring-'abutment member 32, which serves to transmit the thrust of the compression spring to the lubricant reservoir, preferably also seals the adjacent opening in the reservoir end wall. This member 32 may be entirely constructed from any suitable oil-resistant and resilient material, such as synthetic rubber' or the like. If desired, this member 32 may be replaced with a metallic sleeve 33 faced with a sealing chamber 34, all as illustrated in Figure 4. In either case, however, a fluid-tight seal will be established between the barrel I0 and the lowermost end wall of the lubricant reservoir, just as the sealing member 22 establishes a like seal between said barrel and the opposite reservoir end wall.

The lubricant-dispensing device forming the subject matter of the present invention further includes a thin sheet-metal lubricant reservoir 35, preferably cylindrical in form, which is adapted longitudinally to receive the barrel ID. 'I'he particular reservoir 35 illustrated in the accompanying drawings includes a cylindrical body portion having circular end walls 36 and 31 secured to opposite ends thereof in any suitable fashion, as for instance by means of the overlapped peripheral beads 38, 38 illustrated in Figure 1. If desired, these end walls may be strengthened by providing circular corrugations or indentations therein.

End walls 36 and 31 are each preferably provided with central openings defined by the inturned annular ilanges 39 and 40, respectively. 'Ihese end openings may be sealed, prior to use, by means of two outwardly removable closure caps frictionally retained within said openings. Thus, as illustrated in Figure 5, these end openings may each be closed by means of a hatshaped closure cap 4|, preferably so proportioned as to follow closely the contour of the inturned ilange portions 39 or 40. The closure cap 4| is preferably provided with an outer lip or brim 42 to facilitate its removal from the end opening. Thus, a screw driver or any other suitable implement may be inserted between the closure cap lip 42 and the juxtaposed end wall 31 or 38 and twisted to pry out the closure cap 4|. If desired, however, these caps 42 may be omitted, and the end openings sealed by frangible metal discs, or by discs soldered onto the end panels and provided with pull-tabs for removal therefrom, or by any other suitable means, or suitable openings may be punched out of originally imperforate end walls.

The hereinabove described lubricant-dispensing device may be operatively assembled in the following manner. Closure cap 4| in forward reservoir end Wall 31 is pried out, and the barrel portion 6 inserted through the opening provided thereby. The aligned closure cap in the opposite end wall 36 is then pried out, and the barrel then further projected longitudinally through the body of the reservoir until the screw-threaded end 23 thereof extends beyond the opening in end wall 36. The gasketed annular stop 2| limits the extent to which the barrel portion may be projected through the reservoir.

The piston portion shown in Figure 3 is then seized, and piston 24 is slid into the bore of the barrel portion I0, as illustrated in Figure 6. The piston-rod 25 is then advanced, pushing piston 24 into the cylindrical passageway 2. Springabutment member 26 is then slid along the rod 25 towards the reservoir end wall 36, causing the resilient spring abutment sleeve 32 to slide along the outer surface of the projecting barrel portion 23 and to contact said end wall 36. The milled spring-abutment member 26 is then further advanced, compressing the spring 30, and is then screW-threadedly engaged with the barrel end 23, thus compressing packing 28 and establishing a seal around the reciprocable piston rod 25.

Compression spring 30, acting through the thrust-transmitting abutment-member 32, pushes the lubricant reservoir 35 up against the annular stop 2|, and more particularly against the sealing portion 22 thereof. Furthermore, by virtue of the expansive force exerted by the compression spring 3U, the sealing members 32 and 22 are urged towards each other and into intimate contact with their respective reservoir end walls, thereby establishing and maintaining seals around the reservoir end wall openings through the barrel I0 projects.

The low viscosity lubricant within the reservoir of the lubricating device may be dispensed to an overhead receptacle by merely seizing the body of reservoir 35 in one hand and reciprocating the piston rod 25 with the other hand, all as illustrated in Figure '7. The piston 24 on its forward stroke creates a pressure which hydraulically unseats check valve I3, causing the lubricant in cylindrical passageway I2 to flow past said valve, and be expelled through the push-on nozzle I'I into the particular tting against which said nozzle is thrust, as for instance the fitting 43 indicated in Figure 7. At the end of the forward stroke, the check valve I6 seats itself, and return movement of piston 24 creates a suction in passageway I2 which, when the piston 24 is retracted from the chamber I2 and positioned within the retraction chamber II, causes the lubricant to flo-w into passageway I2 through the inlet openings I4, I4. This lubricant flow is aided 'by the vertical position of the lubricant dispensing device, which causes the lubricant to collect around the inlet ports I4, I4.

The piston 24 is then again advanced, and the hereinabove described cycle of operation is repeated until the desired amount 4of lubricant has been dispensed;

One of the desirable features of the hereinabove described lubricant-dispensing device resides in the fact that the seals around the openings in the reservoir end walls are left intact when the device is operated, and are furthermore not vweakened nor broken even though one of the operators hands grasps the reservoir portion of the device while his other hand reciprocates the piston rod. During the forward stroke of the piston 24, the thrust is transmitted axially along the barrel I0 and push-on nozzle I'I directly to the lubricant nipple or fitting 43. Accordingly, the seals established by the sealing members 32 and 22 against their respective end-walls are operatively maintained intact. The force exerted by the compression spring 30 is preferably suficient to prevent any unintended downward or rearward movement of the reservoir portion 35 along the barrel portion I0 during the forward stroke of the piston. On the return stroke of pisf ton 24, a manual forward thrust is exerted on the body of the lubricant reservoir 35, serving to increase the effectiveness of the seal around the opening in the forward end wall, and the seal around the opening in the rear end wall is maintained intact by the pressure of spring 30.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the piston stroke is approximately conned or limited to the spacing between the reservoir end walls 3B and 31, and takes place substantially wholly within the body of the lubricant reservoir. By thus confining the piston stroke, the axial dimension of the lubricant-dispensing device is reduced to a minimum, and encumbering projecting portions are avoided, thereby providingv a handy and compact device.

Although the hereinabove lubricant-dispensing device is intended for use in dispensing lubricant of generally low viscosity, such as lubricating oils and the like, it may readily be adapted to dispense lubricants of generally higher viscosity such as `grease and the like. This adaptation might consist in providing a lubricant follower axially slidable through the body of the lubricant reservoir 35. Such follower would preferably be provided with a central opening in alignment with the openings in the reservoir end walls, and would slide along the barrel portion ID of the lubricant dispensing device. In use, the lubricant follower would compact the body of the lubricant and would insure a full discharge of the contents ofthe reservoir.

The present invention may be embodied in other specic forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the` invention, what is hereby claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A lubricant-dispensing device for dispensing low viscosity lubricant to overhead receptacles comprising a relatively thin sheet-metal lubricant reservoir having fixed non-slidable sheetmetal end walls, a tubular pump housing extending therethrough, sai-d housing including a highpressure cylinder generally co-extensive in length with said reservoir, a spring-pressed check-valve and a push-on nozzle at the forward discharge end of said high-pressure cylinder, inlet openings associated with the opposite rear end of said cylinder, said inlet openings being disposed inside the body of said lubricant reservoir and in proximity to the rearmost end wall thereof, a pistonretraction chamber at the rear end of said highpressure cylinder and in axial alignment therewith and of an external diameter greater than that of said high-pressure cylinder, said retraction chamber extending exteriorly of said reservoir, a reciprocable high-pressurey piston in axial alignment with said high-pressure cylinder and retractable into said piston-retraction chamber, a reciprocable piston-rod of smaller diameter than said piston extending from the rear end thereof exteriorly of said pump housing and in axial alignment with said high-pressure cylinder, a handle associated with said piston-rod for manual operation, and means establishing a fluid-tight seal between said reciprocable pistonrod and said pump housing.

2. A lubricant-dispensing device adapted to` portion of said pump housing bearing a piston-` retraction chamber communicating with the rear end of said high-pressure cylinder and in alignment therewith,.an inlet opening in the wall of said pump housing communicating with the rear end of said high-pressure cylinder and disposed within the body of said lubricant reservoir in proximity to that reservoir end wall which is lowermost when the lubricant-dispensing device is positioned for dispensing lubricant to an overlhead receptacle, a high-pressure piston slidably disposed in said high-pressure cylinder and re'- tractable into said piston-retraction chamber at the end of its return stroke, a piston rod of smaller diameter than said piston extending from the rear end thereof exteriorly of said pump housing, and means establishing a fluid tight seal between said piston rod and the rear end of said pump housing.

RUSSELL J. GRAY. 

